Homewares and Garden Facility – Hollow Bar Micropiles

We provided deep foundation products and solutions to a homewares and garden facility in Louisville, Kentucky. Let’s look at what the project required and how we met and overcame its challenges.

The Problem

The garden facility needed new concrete foundations, but they had to preserve the building’s historic brick exterior. The project required some demolition and deep foundations engineering. The facility was located in a historically significant building, which limited the contractor’s access to the facility and its foundation. Additionally, the rock beneath the foundation’s soil fill was extremely tough and included dolomite, which is very hard. We had to provide products and services to help the client and their contractor navigate these challenges and implement the concrete foundations the building needed.

Our Solution

We supplied Magnacore T76 hollow bars to serve as the new foundation’s micropiles. Before the project began, we customized the micropiles’ design to fit the foundation’s needs. We also provided the installation equipment for this project. Once the contractor started working on the site, we assisted them by providing our load testing and engineering services. We also helped troubleshoot some engineering problems that arose during the installation process.

The Results

The client praised our services and products in a review. Additionally, the contractor we collaborated with had never used hollow bar micropiles before. Now, the contractor is actively seeking hollow bar installation opportunities in their upcoming projects. The contractor also purchased a grout plant from us, and they now have it in their fleet of equipment. Overall, the project was a success, and the facility got a new foundation while its brick exterior stayed intact.

Deep Foundations Q&A

What do deep foundation services involve? Why are deep foundations necessary for some projects?

Deep foundations services install micropiles deep beneath the surface to transfer structural loads onto rock or competent soils. These services ensure that structures have solid foundations in areas where the shallower soils are too soft or weak for shallow foundations.

What features do our Magnacore hollow bars have? How do they improve deep foundation installations?

Magnacore hollow bars have the following features that distinguish them from more common solid bars:

  • They require no pre-drilling.
  • They can work with rock at any depth. Solid micropile bars are limited to shallow rock installations.
  • They work in all soil types.
  • They have casings for lateral loads.
  • All their grouting is completed during the installation process.
  • They only require two pieces of installation equipment: a rock drill and a grout plant.

These features allow contractors to install the hollow bars as micropiles in a range of foundation environments. They also simplify the installation process by involving less equipment.

Are hollow bar micropiles the only deep foundation products we offer?

No. We also provide pulldown micropiles, helical piers, underpinnings, and driven piles for deep foundation projects. However, out of all the deep foundation products we offer, hollow bars suited this project best. The hollow bars allowed the contractor to install them with the micropiles in ways that fit with the fill, clay, and limestone soils beneath the facility while working with the hard rock beneath the soils.

What other applications do micropiles have?

Micropiles work for foundation repairs and rehabilitation as well as foundation stabilization. Why? Because micropiles can be installed easily on sites with limited access and they can help stabilize nearby structures that surround your project. Micropiles fit well with these types of applications and projects because they are smaller and less intrusive than other ground improvement systems.

Improve Your Deep Foundations With Intech Anchoring

If you need deep foundation solutions for a project, reach out to Intech Anchoring today. We provide the products you need to complete your project, and we can assist you with its engineering and your products’ design. We work with clients and contractors to create the best deep foundations for their structures with solutions that fit their budgets and timelines. We’re ready to customize our products and services to meet your project’s needs and complete your foundation. We want to provide the best deep foundations for your situation so your project can continue smoothly after its entire foundation is complete.

Tim Comb

President

Tim is the President of Intech Anchoring and has 25 years of experience in the Civil Engineering and Geostructural Industry. Tim has developed extensive industry knowledge by working to support the needs of specialty contractors at each and every business level. Tim’s diverse industry background has given him exposure to a wide variety civil construction projects, ranging from the simplest residential applications to the most complex commercial and industrial projects. Coupled with a highly skilled and educated team, Tim focuses on providing the highest quality products and solutions to Intech Anchoring’s customers in order to consistently exceed expectations.